Self-watering reservoir type plant holder



March 7, 1950 J. c. SOMMER SELF-WATERING RESERVOIR TYPE PLANT HOLDERFiled Sept. 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wa M fmw WW 5 C u a H O J YWWW. m

ATTD R N EYS 5 2 R. w 00 O .z w w m 9 n 5 WM w M, w d (2 4 w A e m 8 5 7c. 5 2 e z E N 2 fi f 1 H 0 J m J. C. SOMM ER SELF-WATERING RESERVOIRTYPE PLANT HOLDER III/III March 7, 1950 Flled Sept 25, 1945 PatentedMar. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

I SELF-WATERING REsERvoIR TYPE PLANT HOLDER I John C. Summer, Saginaw,Mich. -Application-September 25, 1-945, Serial No. 618,455

. i 2 Claims.

The invention relatesto a flower or plant box, and moreespecially-self-watering reservoir type plant holder. 1

The primary object of. the invention is the provision of a holder ofthis character, wherein growing flowers or plants-can be placed thereinfor propagation and growing, the flowers or. plants being automaticallywatered so as to keep the earth moist, andto eliminate excess water ofthe same. V l

Another objectof the invention is the provision of a holder of thischaracter, wherein its construction renders it readily portable, andrequires little or no attention, as the flowers or plants held therebywill be properl watered, or vitamins and plant food can be administeredthereto-without manual labor, as such is effected automatically, theplants or flowers being susceptible or deep rooting, as would be thecase in natural surroundings or in outside soil.

A further object of the invention is the Drovision of a holder of thischaracter, wherein the soil therein will be relieved of souring, thewatering of the flowers or plants being through capillary attraction,and at atmospheric temperature, the holder being novel in construction,and is unique in the assembly of its parts, these being few in number.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a holder ofthis character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable andefficient in operation, strong, durable, neat in appearance, automaticin the working thereof, requiring minimum attention, and inexpensive tomanufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination. and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinaiter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which show the preferred embodiment of the invention, andpointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the holderconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing in detail the water levelindicator.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 lookinginthe direction of the I arrows.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the indicator per S8.

Similar reference characters indicate cor responding parts throughouttheseveral 'views inthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the holder constituting the presentinvention, comprises an elongated or substantially rectangular shapedbox-like body I 0 and a similar-shaped font l9; both made from sheetmaterial, preferably metal, although it may be constructed or built fromany suitable material. The body In is formed with a fiat bottom ll,vertical upstanding side walls [-2,- vertical upstanding end walls I3,and a top rim M, respectively, the latter being entirely about asubstantially hopper-shape well or valley [5, which opens through thetop-portion of such body and is of a depth correspondingly to thecombined depth of the body In and font l9, centrally located andreceives a filling of earth H5, in which" are planted the flowers orplants to be propagated or grown.

Between the walls of the body l0 and the walls of the well or valley I5and entirely about the latter is a water reservoir H, which at the lowerportion thereof is located the horizontal dividing panel or partition llforming a bottom for the reservoir l1, and functions also as a top forthe water font I 9 beneath the reservoir l1. This font l9 has bouyanttherein a float 20, preferably made from cork and has a centrallyarranged vertical conical shaped valve projection 2| adapted to freelyplay through a port 22 in the panel or partition ll, so as to regulatethe flow of water from the reservoir I1 into the font l9, as should beapparent from Figure 3 or Figure 5 0f the drawings. The reservoir I1 isfilled through a, plug l3.

In the side walls l2 slightly above the water level in the font I9, areair vents 23 to permit ingress of atmospheric air into such font.

In the side and end walls of the well or valley I 5 are vertically andhorizontally spaced perforations or holes 24, so that water from thefont l9 will gain admission to the earth [6 within such well or valleyfor absorption, and in this manner the plants or flowers areautomatically watered.

Hooked into openings 25' in the end walls 13' of the font l9 from theexterior thereof, is a pair of handling yokes 25 which have inturnedportions 21 snapped over the top rim M, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2of the drawings, while carried !by these yokes 25 are hand grips 25, sothat the holder can be bodily carried or rendered portable for thehandling thereof. The inturned portions 21 of these yokes 25 alsoprovide handle loops 28, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4 of thedrawings.

The valve projection 2| is provided with an adjustable screw shank 29tapped into the float 20, which at its upper face is marked with ascaled dial 30, having spaced indicia 3| indicative of high, low andaverage levels, for the water within the font [9, the valve projection2| being formed with an indicator hand or pointer 32 to register withthe indicia 3|, selectively, so that the water level can be controlledwithin such font. The font I9 is separable from the body In, and is helddetachable therefrom by the yokes 25, thus such font being readilyaccessible for adjustment of the indicator. It is preferable that theyokes 25 effect the clamping of the font l9 and body I together, asshould be obvious from Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, the yokes beinghooked into the end walls l3 of the font. It is also desirable that thewell or valley have apertures or holes 33 in its bottom for equalizingwater absorption.

The valve projection 2| seats itself in the port 22 for the closingthereof when the level of water reaches a determined height within thefont l9.

When the font I9 is detached, the indicator can be set according to thedial therefor, and also this font can be properly cleaned.

The holder is a self-watering reservoir type plant box or holder.

What is claimed is:

l. A holder of the kind described, comprising a reservoir having abottom font and a communicating port therebetween, a well within thereservoir and depending into the font and having fluid admittingopenings thereto from said font, a float in said font, a cone-shapedvalve riding insaid communicating port for controlling communicationbetween the reservoir and font, means threadably securing thecone-shaped valve to the float for adjusting the valve relative to thefloat for regulating its controlling activity between the reservoir andfont, indicator means for determining the extent of adjustment of thelast named means, and a pair of yokes having preformed ends adapted toengage the upper ends of the reservoir and the ends of the font fordetachably securing the font to the reservoir, the well being accessiblethrough the top of the reservoir by means of said reservoir fill plugsremovably mounted in the top of said reservoir.

2. A holder of the kind described, comprising a reservoir having abottom font and a communicating port therebetween, a well within thereservoir and depending into the font and having fluid admittingopenings thereto from said font, a float in said font, a cone-shapedvalve riding in said communicating port for controlling com municationbetween the reservoir and font, means threadably securing thecone-shaped valve to the float for adjusting the valve relative to thefloat for regulating its controlling activity between the reservoir andfont, indicator means for determining the extent of adjustment of thelast named means, a pair of yokes having preformed ends adapted toengage the upper ends of the reservoir and the ends of the font fordetachably securing the font to the reservoir, the well being accessiblethrough the top of the reservoir by means of said reservoir fill plugsremovably mounted in the top of said reservoir, and hand grips on theyokes for detachably securing the font and reservoir.

JOHN C. SOMNEER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Brundin July 15, 1941Number

